Innovation Japan provides solutions for the future

Japan is a country that has long been associated with advanced technology and innovation.

At this time and age where digitalisation is on the rise more than ever, Japan is rapidly working towards Society 5.0, creating a super-smart society where digital innovation is integrated across all industries and all levels of society.

For Japan and its ageing population, it is an indisputable fact that innovation is the key to solving future challenges and supporting better living.

To realise this vision, the Government of Japan has created a “Innovation Japan” series to introduce a few radical examples of innovation by the Japanese.

1. Cybernic Treatment

For people with physical disabilities, damaged nervous systems restrict their movements and this has been considered difficult to treat. This newly developed robot treatment system is designed to regenerate and improve the patient’s brain-neuro-physical functions, helping them move autonomously.

2. RFID Technology for Metal Products

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a great technology to improve operational productivity in many industries, but one significant weakness is its inability to track metals. Recently, a new RFID technology has been developed that can be worked on metals, thus enhancing efficiency to a large extent.

3. Smart Maintenance

The Yamanote Line is one of the busiest train lines in Tokyo, running at 2 to 3 minutes intervals daily from early morning till late at night. Maintenance is difficult without interrupting the train service, but IoT technology has allowed the possibility of collecting and analysing large amount of data from trains in real time, detecting minor changes and even predicting breakdowns in advance.

4. AI to Advance Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative medicine with induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells has the ability to treat difficult diseases. To resolve the lack of knowledgeable and skilled researchers needed to produce these cells, artificial intelligence (AI) is now being developed to standardise the procedure of handling the cells. This will lead to mass production yet high quality custom-made iPS cells, resulting in higher cost-effective distribution to patients.

5. Fingerprint Authentication without Image Data

A security pin or a signature is always required when you use a credit card. But in order for a more secure and smoother transaction process, biometric authentication is emerging as an alternative way. This method uses proprietary algorithm and artificial intelligence (AI) to digitise and index fingerprints, making future payment process safer and quicker.